Former diplomats on Thursday warned that the withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from the Economic Community of West African States could undermine regional stability, potentially escalating insurgency and extremism in the Sahel.

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Christopher Musa, on Wednesday charged Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, and Mali to rescind their decision to quit the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

Following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, ECOWAS outlined four key measures to maintain regional cooperation and minimize disruptionsCitizens of the three nations can still travel visa-free within ECOWAS,